Attackers steal cancer patient's money, medication

by Stephen Tschida

Samuel Butler

The cancer riddling his body has eaten his strength, health and vocal chords. But 43-year-old Samuel Butler still musters anger.

Three men, wearing masks, walked up to his Fredericksburg door at about 6 p.m. Monday night. They stormed in and demanded money and pills. When he resisted, one of the suspects struck him in repeatedly in the chest with a metal baton.

“One had a gun, one beat me with a steel baton,” he said.

After he collapsed to the ground, Butler emptied his pockets and handed over his rent money and precious pain medication. The thieves, however, left his other medications.

“There was no need for three men to beat him to get what he wanted they could have easily overpowered him without ever striking him,” said Natalia Bledsoe, Fredericksburg Police spokesperson.

Kelley Sienkowski’s husband saw the three men run from the house. Others in the quiet, leafy neighborhood are disgusted by the attack on such a vulnerable victim.

“They need to find ‘em and take of them places for those people to be and it's not on the street,” said Tom Chaffee, a neighbor.

As for Butler, the beating adds to his chronic agony. Since the stolen medications are narcotics, he is left with nothing to deaden his pain.

And now he has yet another fight – this time with his insurance company to get it to replace his stolen medications.